Athletic Clothing Assembly

ABSTRACT

An athletic clothing assembly for convenient stowage of a mouthguard includes a garment configured to position over and at least partially cover at least one of an upper body and a lower body of an athlete. A first panel is coupled by opposing edges and a bottom edge to a surface of the garment to define a pocket. The pocket is configured to insert a mouthguard to removably stow the mouthguard. A closure that is coupled to the garment and the first panel proximate to an upper edge of the first panel is positioned to selectively close the pocket to retain the mouthguard in the pocket.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

Not Applicable

STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT

Not Applicable

THE NAMES OF THE PARTIES TO A JOINT RESEARCH AGREEMENT

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INCORPORATION-BY-REFERENCE OF MATERIAL SUBMITTED ON A COMPACT DISC OR AS A TEXT FILE VIA THE OFFICE ELECTRONIC FILING SYSTEM

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STATEMENT REGARDING PRIOR DISCLOSURES BY THE INVENTOR OR JOINT INVENTOR

Not Applicable

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION (1) Field of the Invention

The disclosure relates to clothing assemblies and more particularly pertains to a new clothing assembly for convenient stowage of a mouthguard.

(2) Description of Related Art Including Information Disclosed Under 37 CFR 1.97 and 1.98

The prior art relates to clothing assemblies.

BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

An embodiment of the disclosure meets the needs presented above by generally comprising a garment configured to position over and at least partially cover at least one of an upper body and a lower body of an athlete. A first panel is coupled by opposing edges and a bottom edge to a surface of the garment to define a pocket. The pocket is configured to insert a mouthguard to removably stow the mouthguard. A closure that is coupled to the garment and the first panel proximate to an upper edge of the first panel is positioned to selectively close the pocket to retain the mouthguard in the pocket.

There has thus been outlined, rather broadly, the more important features of the disclosure in order that the detailed description thereof that follows may be better understood, and in order that the present contribution to the art may be better appreciated. There are additional features of the disclosure that will be described hereinafter and which will form the subject matter of the claims appended hereto.

The objects of the disclosure, along with the various features of novelty which characterize the disclosure, are pointed out with particularity in the claims annexed to and forming a part of this disclosure.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWING(S)

The disclosure will be better understood and objects other than those set forth above will become apparent when consideration is given to the following detailed description thereof. Such description makes reference to the annexed drawings wherein:

FIG. 1 is a front view of an athletic clothing assembly according to an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 2 is a side view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 3 is an interior view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

FIG. 4 is a detail view of an embodiment of the disclosure.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

With reference now to the drawings, and in particular to FIGS. 1 through 4 thereof, a new clothing assembly embodying the principles and concepts of an embodiment of the disclosure and generally designated by the reference numeral 10 will be described.

As best illustrated in FIGS. 1 through 4, the athletic clothing assembly 10 generally comprises a garment 12 that is configured to position over and at least partially cover at least one of an upper body and a lower body of an athlete. A first panel 14 is coupled by opposing edges 16 and a bottom edge 18 to a surface 20 of the garment 12 to define a pocket 22. The pocket 22 is configured to insert a mouthguard to removably stow the mouthguard. The first panel 14 is meshed so that the first panel 14 is configured to vent the pocket 22 to dry the mouthguard. Prior art garments for athletes lack a pocket 22 specifically designed to stow a mouthguard in a sanitary manner. As a result, mouthguards are often inappropriately stored while not in use, leading to contamination and an increased probability that the mouthguard will not be used when required.

The first panel 14 comprises elastomer so that the first panel 14 is resiliently stretchable. The first panel 14 is configured to be stretched to insert the mouthguard and to rebound to couple to the mouthguard. The first panel 14 may be coupled to an interior surface 24 of the garment 12, as shown in FIG. 3. The bottom edge 18 may be arcuate adjacent to the opposing edges 16.

A closure 26 that is coupled to the garment 12 and the first panel 14 proximate to an upper edge 28 of the first panel 14 is positioned to selectively close the pocket 22 to retain the mouthguard in the pocket 22. The closure 26 may comprise a hook and loop fastener 30, or other closing means, such as, but not limited to, zippers, buttons, snaps, and the like.

A slit 32 may be positioned in the garment 12 so that the slit 32 opens into the pocket 22. The slit 32 is configured to allow the athlete to insert the mouthguard into the pocket 22 without inserting a hand between the garment 12 and the upper body or lower body.

The garment 12 may comprise pants 34, as shown in FIGS. 1-4, but also may comprise other athletic wear, such as, but not limited to, shorts, shirts, jerseys, and the like. A set of second panels 36 is coupled to the interior surface 24 of the garment 12 so that each second panel 36 defines pouch 38. The set of panels may comprise four second panels 36 that are coupled to the garment 12 so that the pouches 38 are positioned over each thigh and each knee of the athlete upon donning the pants 34.

Each of a set of openings 40 is positioned in a respective second panel 36 proximate to an upper end 42 of the respective second panel 36 so that the opening 40 is configured to selectively insert a respective pad into an associated pouch 38.

In use, the garment 12 is donned by the athlete. The pocket 22 is available as needed to stow the mouthguard of the athlete when it is not required but keeping the mouthguard readily available to the athlete when use is required. Having the mouthguard sanitarily stowed and easily accessible promotes use of the mouthguard and reduces a risk of injury due to failure to use the mouthguard.

With respect to the above description then, it is to be realized that the optimum dimensional relationships for the parts of an embodiment enabled by the disclosure, to include variations in size, materials, shape, form, function and manner of operation, assembly and use, are deemed readily apparent and obvious to one skilled in the art, and all equivalent relationships to those illustrated in the drawings and described in the specification are intended to be encompassed by an embodiment of the disclosure.

Therefore, the foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the disclosure. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the disclosure to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the disclosure. In this patent document, the word “comprising” is used in its non-limiting sense to mean that items following the word are included, but items not specifically mentioned are not excluded. A reference to an element by the indefinite article “a” does not exclude the possibility that more than one of the elements is present, unless the context clearly requires that there be only one of the elements. 

I claim:
 1. An athletic clothing assembly comprising: a garment configured for positioning over and at least partially covering at least one of an upper body and a lower body of an athlete; a first panel coupled by opposing edges and a bottom edge to a surface of the garment defining a pocket wherein the pocket is configured for inserting a mouthguard for removably stowing the mouthguard; and a closure coupled to the garment and the first panel proximate to an upper edge of the first panel such that the closure is positioned for selectively closing the pocket for retaining the mouthguard in the pocket.
 2. The assembly of claim 1, further including the garment comprising pants.
 3. The assembly of claim 1, further including the first panel being meshed such that the first panel is configured for venting the pocket for drying the mouthguard.
 4. The assembly of claim 1, further including the first panel comprising elastomer such that the first panel is resiliently stretchable wherein the first panel is configured for stretching for inserting the mouthguard and for rebounding for coupling to the mouthguard.
 5. The assembly of claim 1, further including the bottom edge being arcuate adjacent to the opposing edges.
 6. The assembly of claim 1, further including the closure comprising a hook and loop fastener.
 7. The assembly of claim 1, further comprising: the first panel being coupled to an interior surface of the garment; and a slit positioned in the garment such that the slit opens into the pocket wherein the slit is configured for inserting the mouthguard into the pocket.
 8. The assembly of claim 2, further comprising: a set of second panels coupled to the interior surface of the garment such that each second panel defines pouch; and a set of openings, each opening being positioned in a respective second panel proximate to an upper end of the respective second panel wherein the opening is configured for selectively inserting a respective pad into an associated pouch.
 9. The assembly of claim 8, further including the set of panels comprising four second panels coupled to the garment such that the pouches are positioned over each thigh and each knee of the athlete upon donning the pants.
 10. An athletic clothing assembly comprising: a garment configured for positioning over and at least partially covering at least one of an upper body and a lower body of an athlete, the garment comprising pants; a first panel coupled by opposing edges and a bottom edge to a surface of the garment defining a pocket wherein the pocket is configured for inserting a mouthguard for removably stowing the mouthguard, the first panel being meshed such that the first panel is configured for venting the pocket for drying the mouthguard, the first panel comprising elastomer such that the first panel is resiliently stretchable wherein the first panel is configured for stretching for inserting the mouthguard and for rebounding for coupling to the mouthguard, the first panel being coupled to an interior surface of the garment, the bottom edge being arcuate adjacent to the opposing edges; a closure coupled to the garment and the first panel proximate to an upper edge of the first panel such that the closure is positioned for selectively closing the pocket for retaining the mouthguard in the pocket, the closure comprising a hook and loop fastener; a slit positioned in the garment such that the slit opens into the pocket wherein the slit is configured for inserting the mouthguard into the pocket; a set of second panels coupled to the interior surface of the garment such that each second panel defines pouch, the set of panels comprising four second panels coupled to the garment such that the pouches are positioned over each thigh and each knee of the athlete upon donning the pants; and a set of openings, each opening being positioned in a respective second panel proximate to an upper end of the respective second panel wherein the opening is configured for selectively inserting a respective pad into an associated pouch. 